CHORD Mojo 2 Review (Portable DAC & HP Amp)

[Music1969]

This is a report from me. As I explained earlier I own both mojo OG and mojo 2 and both are having the same issue. Also this is the second mojo 2 device I've owned. I've raised it also on head fi.

Ok interesting. And very annoying.

Do you get that noise when phone and Mojo2 are running on battery?

Not connected to wall charger

 

[Another Audiophile]

Also the same Rob in other posts has put this down to EMI due to proximity of the phone and the DAC.
Just a few inches apart, fixes it.

Agree. So it's not a truly portable device but more transportable if it can't be stacked with a mobile. Anyway it is what it is and I just thought to share my experience so other will be aware of the issue.

 

[Another Audiophile]

Ok interesting. And very annoying.

Do you get that noise when phone and Mojo2 are running on battery?

Not connected to wall charger

I get this kind of noise every time my mobile is close to the mojo with battery or while charging. It happens even when the mobile is not connected to the mojo 2 via cable. I am using the poly with the poly+mojo in one pocket and mobile in another. No issue like that and for me that's the only way to have the mojo and mojo 2 as portable devices. Unless you like wrapping yourself with cables.

 

[srkbear]

I've managed to record few seconds here. Thats the constant situation every time the mojo is close to my mobile with cable connected or without.

It’s the tech in the Mojo I’m not clear on. Does it have its own Wi-Fi radio? I just can’t figure out what the phone modem would be interfering in with the DAC. Does the Chord have streaming tech that requires a wireless receiver? I thought it was just a DAC/amp…

 

[Jimbob54]

It’s the tech in the Mojo I’m not clear on. Does it have its own Wi-Fi radio? I just can’t figure out what the phone modem would be interfering in with the DAC. Does the Chord have streaming tech that requires a wireless receiver? I thought it was just a DAC/amp…

The poly is the WiFi equipped bolt on. Mojo is wired only.

 

[srkbear]

Agree. So it's not a truly portable device but more transportable if it can't be stacked with a mobile. Anyway it is what it is and I just thought to share my experience so other will be aware of the issue.

I cannot fathom what error in shielding or design exists in this DAC that would cause malfunctioning with a cellular device, but given how commonly people use their phones as a music source (arguably most folks!) I’m shocked that it hasn’t been rectified over two generations of this device. I’ve never heard of such a thing from any other DAC, portable or not.

I definitely wouldn’t be happy about Chord marketing it as a portable with this limitation, and the 2G end-of-life excuse from Watts doesn’t cut it for me, anyway. The problem suggests a serious flaw in the integrity of the device’s architecture that shouldn’t be there at all, don’t you agree?

 

[mocenigo]

And he uses it with Mojo 2? If so, he must want his music at low volume or is not sensitive to distortion!

He lugs around an M-Scaler and a Hugo 2.

 

[Jimbob54]

I he lugs around a Dave and a Hugo 2.

Nooo. He takes a Hugo plus m scaler on flights (might even be a Dave)

 

[mocenigo]

Nooo. He takes a Hugo plus m scaler on flights (might even be a Dave)

Right I meant the scaler, not the Dave (I fixed my reply)

 

[Jimbob54]

Right I meant the scaler, not the Dave

Not even watts double dacs!

 

[Another Audiophile]

I cannot fathom what error in shielding or design exists in this DAC that would cause malfunctioning with a cellular device, but given how commonly people use their phones as a music source (arguably most folks!) I’m shocked that it hasn’t been rectified over two generations of this device. I’ve never heard of such a thing from any other DAC, portable or not.

I definitely wouldn’t be happy about Chord marketing it as a portable with this limitation, and the 2G end-of-life excuse from Watts doesn’t cut it for me, anyway. The problem suggests a serious flaw in the integrity of the device’s architecture that shouldn’t be there at all, don’t you agree?

Yes I do agree. I actually did a comparison with other similar devices, like the ifi gryphon, and didn’t have this issue. That’s why I said that the mojo without the poly is not a portable device. Disappointing indeed and I think these kind of issues should be highlighted to have a balanced view/information.

 

[Chester]

Yes I do agree. I actually did a comparison with other similar devices, like the ifi gryphon, and didn’t have this issue. That’s why I said that the mojo without the poly is not a portable device. Disappointing indeed and I think these kind of issues should be highlighted to have a balanced view/information.

I’m pretty sure Chord said they had fixed it in Mojo 2 so perhaps just a defective unit.

 

[srkbear]

I’m pretty sure Chord said they had fixed it in Mojo 2 so perhaps just a defective unit.

Nah, if it’s the exact same behavior as the Mojo 1 then the likelihood of this being a random new problem in one isolated Mojo 2 is highly improbable. And I believe more than one person has reported it. This isn’t about my biases against Chord for their prices, it’s my astonishment that a widely-reported issue in the first generation of a device this premium would not be resolved in its successor.

Also some folks have suggested that I am promoting the xDSD Gryphon as a suitable alternative to this Mojo 2, and that is not my position. We have no measurements on the Gryphon to ascertain whether it competes with the Mojo 2 in the performance quality of the DAC section or the amp. I have many other portables besides the Gryphon, including a FiiO Q3 and Q5S, a Zorloo, an iFi Micro iDSD BL and first gen xDSD, a Shanling, a HiBy—and the only assessment I have of any of them is my own subjective experience. I have heard the Gryphon but not the Chord—it is my intention to submit the former to Amir to test this comparison objectively.

 

[Chester]

Nah, if it’s the exact same behavior as the Mojo 1 then the likelihood of this being a random new problem in one isolated Mojo 2 is highly improbable. And I believe more than one person has reported it. This isn’t about my biases against Chord for their prices, it’s my astonishment that a widely-reported issue in the first generation of a device this premium would not be resolved in its successor.

Also some folks have suggested that I am promoting the xDSD Gryphon as a suitable alternative to this Mojo 2, and that is not my position. We have no measurements on the Gryphon to ascertain whether it competes with the Mojo 2 in the performance quality of the DAC section or the amp. I have many other portables besides the Gryphon, including a FiiO Q3 and Q5S, a Zorloo, an iFi Micro iDSD BL and first gen xDSD, a Shanling, a HiBy—and the only assessment I have of any of them is my own subjective experience. I have heard the Gryphon but not the Chord—it is my intention to submit the former to Amir to test this comparison objectively.

Personally I find starting a sentence “Nah” quite dismissive and obnoxious.

I didn’t say it must be an isolated case. My Mojo 2 does not have this problem so by your logic, the chances of my Mojo being the only effective unit is highly improbable.

 

[Madlop26]

Chord mojo 2 and 7hz timeless planer iem’s arrived earlier today, no genuine/justifiable “need” for either of them as I have AirPods Pro/AirPods max but wanted to see if the hype regarding the both of them was justified and I wanted something a bit different to listen to. Have to say I’m rather impressed so far, there’s a genuine audible improvement over AirPods which I figure is to be expected but it’s still nice to actually “hear” an improvement. I didn’t realise the mojo was so small and it’s very cute and tactile in use. Only been playing with them for a couple of hours but got the mojo operational light show pretty much sussed, not as confusing as I feared. The 7hz timeless sound bloody brilliant and very impressed with them as is. I can see myself getting a poly so I’m not tethered to my iPad/iPhone.

The timeless is really a good IEM congrats, great buck for your money, but sorry for the money wasted in the mojo though, you may want to do a blind test with any decent $100 dongle, I did myself comparing my SMSL SU-9 / Topping A90 combo against my Hidizz S9 dongle, I could not tell a difference, both sounded great..

 

[Ken Tajalli]

Personally I find starting a sentence “Nah” quite dismissive and obnoxious.

I didn’t say it must be an isolated case. My Mojo 2 does not have this problem so by your logic, the chances of my Mojo being the only effective unit is highly improbable.

I (to be honest) do not know what exactly you are replying too, as I am automatically ignoring posts by the other member, however, while I had my Mojo1 and Mojo2, I never encountered any such issues, but @Another Audiophile has, and he did report it sometime ago on Headfi too, and now he has a recording of it as proof (if one was needed).
The problem does exist, it is a minor one, if one insists on rubberbands or so to attach a DAC to a mobile phone. Personally, I am against such a thing on many levels, so I don't do it. Can also be phone-related, currently I have a Huawei, and before a Samsung and an LG.
HOWEVER! on occasions where I had to put Mojo on my phone on a table (perhaps because of the beer bottle), I did not get any interferences, so I am with you, the problem is not as widespread.
The clicking and puffing noises can happen, also, while playing, if you tap Mojo hard, it can make a noise on the output!
I think if you put any device under an extreme critical microscope, you can always find excuses to bash it - if that is your intention!
I am sorry that ASR has such a climate against any Chord equipment, just as Headfi has the opposite. At Headfi it is mostly praises for anything Chord.
I have been told off on ASR for promoting Chord devices, and been told off on Headfi for knocking them !
Oh Well . . . .

 

[Somafunk]

The timeless is really a good IEM congrats, great buck for your money, but sorry for the money wasted in the mojo though,

Yeah the 7hz does sound good and more importantly fits in my dodgy ear which I was vey relieved by (got ripped off in a rugby scrum collapse at school, sewn back on by Dr Frankenstein if the look of it is anything to go by), comfort is excellent as well. Much as I liked the sound of my Ety ER4-P the discomfort was a genuine pain after an hr or so and the microphonics of the cable when walking/moving drove me nuts, no such worries with the 7hz cable.
I‘m unsure sure why your sorry bout my money being wasted on the mojo though?, I’m well chuffed with it, sounds good, crossfeed is entertaining for certain tracks/styles of music, eq is handy and easy to develop a signature tuning, not had any noise/pops/crackles despite actively trying to induce issues though cable wiggling/placed close to high RFI power bricks, strapped to my iPhone etc, objectively measures well - certainly good for my ears and I’m not bothered bout the money - £400 well spent imho so that’s all that really matters ain’t it?, Oh…..and the glow of the mojo in a dark room makes me happy - yeah….weird huh?. I’ll take a pass on blind comparisons with a £100 dongle as I think I’ll just listen to music instead.

 

[nyxnyxnyx]

The timeless is really a good IEM congrats, great buck for your money, but sorry for the money wasted in the mojo though, you may want to do a blind test with any decent $100 dongle, I did myself comparing my SMSL SU-9 / Topping A90 combo against my Hidizz S9 dongle, I could not tell a difference, both sounded great..

I am curious, what did you use to blind test the A90/SU9 vs S9 dongle and are you sure you did the blind test properly? Based on what you said if mojo is a waste then A90/SU9 can be considered a waste too because there was no difference/improvement.

 

[Garrincha]

I am curious, what did you use to blind test the A90/SU9 vs S9 dongle and are you sure you did the blind test properly? Based on what you said if mojo is a waste then A90/SU9 can be considered a waste too because there was no difference/improvement.

Well I have the Hidizs S9 Pro as well. It is very fine. Amir has tested it, if you look at the test, you will see that it should be considered transparent with inaudible noise and distortion. So I don't doubt what was being said. Desktop devices have other merits, of course, but not sonic ones once you reached a certain level.

 

[srkbear]

Personally I find starting a sentence “Nah” quite dismissive and obnoxious.

I didn’t say it must be an isolated case. My Mojo 2 does not have this problem so by your logic, the chances of my Mojo being the only effective unit is highly improbable.

I’m sorry, the way you read it was not the way I intended it—I was just being colloquial and I often talk that way out of playfulness. I’ll be more mindful of the risk that it could be taken as patronizing in the future. I respect your opinions.